Suggestions sightseeing itinerary pre-cruise in Vancouver

Hi there

Sailing on Volendam Weds June 14 2017, arriving from New Zealand mid PM Sunday 11th. Any ideas for a sightseeing itinerary of Vancouver from locals and the best way to get around?

Thanks in advance

Hi there

Sailing on Volendam Weds June 14 2017, arriving from New Zealand mid PM Sunday 11th. Any ideas for a sightseeing itinerary of Vancouver from locals and the best way to get around?

Thanks in advance

It all depends on your interests.

The downtown core is very compact and very walkable.

Others may have suggestions some of the pre-packaged tours. That is good if your like pre-arranged and guided tours.

Personally I am more of a do your own thing type person. I would go with a Translink day pass. That provides unlimited across onto buses, skytrain (subway system) and seabus to North Vancouver. It does not include the water taxi in false creek.

If you are into cities, shopping etc. The downtown core include Robson (upscale), Chinatown (Asia), Gastown (historic - tourist oriented), Yaletown (historic-trendy). Granville Island (across false creek from downtown - food, arts, reclaimed industrial).

If you are in to the arts, there are a host of galleries, theatres downtown and on Granville Island.

If you are into wilderness and parks there is Stanley Park and a host of options on the North Shore and University endowment lands. There are also several more formal gardens in Vancouver proper.

Here's a possible idea....

Day 1: Sunday

• 3pm wheels down
  
• 3:45pm catch cab
  
• 4:30pm arrive at downtown hotel
  
• 5pm checked in and ready to begin sightseeing marathon
  
• 6pm explore downtown, perhaps dinner
  
• 8pm Fly Over Canada before they close around 9pm for the final show
  

Day 2: Monday

• Grouse Mountain. Depart with free shuttle from cruise terminal
  
• Capilano Suspension Bridge.... ask to be dropped off from Grouse shuttle on return trip. Return downtown with Capilano free shuttle.
  

Day 3:

• Victoria day trip?
  
• Whistler and Sea 2 Sky day trip?
  
• Hop On Service with emphasis on Stanley Park, Gastown, and Granville Island?
  

Getting around depends on which hotel you are staying at where you can take advantage of free shuttles or picked up by hop on service.

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Hi there

Sailing on Volendam Weds June 14 2017, arriving from New Zealand mid PM Sunday 11th. Any ideas for a sightseeing itinerary of Vancouver from locals and the best way to get around?

Thanks in advance

I'm not local but was in a similar situation to you. We did this, from a hotel at Canada Palace, just walking although the train is very easy too. All the best, Tony

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Thanks for the great ideas and videos. Doing lots of research and these ideas have helped forma plan! Roll on June

Info on Vancouver from a local!

My favorite must do attractions are

1) Grouse Mountain – http://www.grousemountain.com – this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://www.capbridge.com – this is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge originally erected in 1889 over the Capilano Gorge. This bridge stretches 450’ end to end and hovers 230’ above Capilano River. Wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.

3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park

4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car – that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.

10) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://www.granvilleisland.com – is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. Many artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios – making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com – is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.

14) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.

The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.

16) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many (23 Licensed) excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. http://www.bcwine.com (click on the Fraser Valley button)

18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown – a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown.

Due to Vancouver’s mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow – at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun.

19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy FREE guided walking tours of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11amCheck these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island.

21) For the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour!

http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver (tourist/hotel district)

while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual independently owned eateries in various areas of Vancouver! (Gastown, Main Street Area, Vancouver East)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. The brunch tour visits local establishments in East Vancouver while the dinner tour concentrates on the Main Street area and the Railtown Urban Eats tour is an area adjacent to GasTown. All are Fabulous! The Railtown Urban Eats tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour of GasTown and then meet up with this tour company for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave any of the tours hungry!

For the tourist in town you actually meet at Waterfront Station and the company drives you to the tour location and then of course back at the end. Just to give you a hint of what to expect - the Gems of Main Street tour started in a Chocolate Shoppe – how can it be anything but wonderful when one starts out with chocolate…. And of course we must mention the rum cocktail concoction at the Tiki Lounge paired with a pork slider & the Pizza Joint owned and run by a chef who actually worked at the Vatican making pizza for the Pope – now if it is good enough for the Pope it has to be good enough for us! After 5 great stops with the history of the area being shared by our guide Bonnie we were all absolutely stuffed! Great job Bonnie!

22) A new addition to the Vancouver scene. The Richmond Olympic Experience located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Visitors are welcomed by a sculpture paying tribute to the volunteers who made the 2010 Vancouver Games possible. You will then be whisked away on an interactive journey that celebrates the Olympic spirit. A multimedia theatre takes you to the heart of the Olympic dream through a series of multimedia galleries evoking the triumphs, tragedies, controversies and celebrations of Olympic history. Thrilling interactive sport simulations including a virtual ski jump will get your heart racing. Outside the Oval, you can follow the incredible journey of the Olympic torch across Canada via a commemorative torch relay trail through the outdoor plazas.

23) Rogers Arena Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in North America with a Rogers Arena tour. See where, for over 15 years, we’ve thrilled and entertained fans from all over the world, staged the best of the best in entertainment and sports, and welcomed over 25 million fans through our doors. Experience first-hand the “cathedral of hockey” that brings in millions of fans coming to see the Vancouver Canucks live (Hockey), and where history was made when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Stadium behind the scenes tours are Wed – Sat at 10;30am, 12 (noon) and 1:30pm!

24) BC Place is BC’s Premier multipurpose stadium, hosting sport, exhibitions and live entertainment, right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Home of the BC Lions Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Soccer) and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. This state of the art facility intrigues with its retractable roof, 800 WIFI ports and 1,100 digital screens. The 36’ façade is lit up by thousands of individually- addressable LED lights that create colour animations bringing life to the Vancouver skyline.

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

http://bigbus.ca/home/

Wow, what a great list. Thanks.

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Awesome list, perhaps we need a month not 2 days!!

BCHappyGirl,

Thank you soooooo much for the great list.

Nancy

Here's a possible idea....

 

Day 1: Sunday

• 3pm wheels down
  
• 3:45pm catch cab
  
• 4:30pm arrive at downtown hotel
  
• 5pm checked in and ready to begin sightseeing marathon
  
• 6pm explore downtown, perhaps dinner
  
• 8pm Fly Over Canada before they close around 9pm for the final show
  

Day 2: Monday

• Grouse Mountain. Depart with free shuttle from cruise terminal
  
• Capilano Suspension Bridge.... ask to be dropped off from Grouse shuttle on return trip. Return downtown with Capilano free shuttle.
  

Day 3:

• Victoria day trip?
  
• Whistler and Sea 2 Sky day trip?
  
• Hop On Service with emphasis on Stanley Park, Gastown, and Granville Island?
  

 

Getting around depends on which hotel you are staying at where you can take advantage of free shuttles or picked up by hop on service.

 

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We will be staying at the Hyatt Regency on Burrard Street in May 2017. I was lookign at your suggestion for day 2 for Grouse Mountain and Capilano Bridge, how do those free shuttles work, where can I get more info? I would love to take advantage of them and spend one of my pre-cruise days doing this.

The Grouse Mountain shuttle departs from the cruise terminal (outside the Pan Pacific).

https://www.grousemountain.com/shuttle

The Capilano Shuttles departs from the cruise terminal and few other hotel locations. The Red route includes pickup at the Hyatt, however if the shuttle is super busy.... walking over to the Pan Pacific will ensure you get on.

https://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/

The Grouse Mountain shuttle departs from the cruise terminal (outside the Pan Pacific).

https://www.grousemountain.com/shuttle

 

The Capilano Shuttles departs from the cruise terminal and few other hotel locations. The Red route includes pickup at the Hyatt, however if the shuttle is super busy.... walking over to the Pan Pacific will ensure you get on.

https://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/

Great! Thanks a lot for the links...how long does it uaully take to do these 2 attractions? We won't be doing any hiking or extra activities and we will have our 5 and 1 year old with us. We pretty much just want to do some sightseeing.

Capilano usually takes 90 minutes on average..... of course the little ones may slow you down. Going on weekend afternoon will also slow you down with congestion.

Going early morning or after 6pm will have reduced crowds.

Grouse? Check the summer show schedule.... you may be spending 2 to 4 hours depending on how many activities you want to participate in.

If you are around Yaletown/BC Place, drop by Central Library. Stunning architecture and the centrepiece of a library system that is consistently voted among the best in the world.

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If you are around Yaletown/BC Place, drop by Central Library. Stunning architecture and the centrepiece of a library system that is consistently voted among the best in the world.

 

 

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We are planning on doing the trolley tour on the day we get off the ship and I think it has a stop on or near the library, right? So, we might get off and take a look, thanks for the suggestion!

That's right, you can get off right at the library. The staff inside can give you tips on best view and photo points. There is also a small store, run by Friends of the Library, that has a fun assortment of stationery and book-related items, as well as some good handmade local items.

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The Grouse Mountain shuttle departs from the cruise terminal (outside the Pan Pacific).

https://www.grousemountain.com/shuttle

 

The Capilano Shuttles departs from the cruise terminal and few other hotel locations. The Red route includes pickup at the Hyatt, however if the shuttle is super busy.... walking over to the Pan Pacific will ensure you get on.

https://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/

Does either of these two shuttles go to both places? Or is there a way to get from Capilano to Grouse?

Does either of these two shuttles go to both places? Or is there a way to get from Capilano to Grouse?

Looks like you can ask the Grouse shuttle to drop you off at Capilano on your way back to town and they will do it. Then just take the Capilano shuttle back to town. This is what I have read here on the board and what I am planning on doing, someone please correct me if I am wrong!

^Yup, that's the most efficient way to do it. Since Grouse is the bigger attraction, with more to do and many more food choices, it's also the more logical to do over lunchtime - 9am to 1pm or so at Grouse, then down the hill to Cap. This should also avoid some crowds - there's a flurry of Pre- and Post-cruisers at Cap in the mornings, since it's very easily done on Embarkation day and a popular thing to do after you Disembark, with shuttles right at the pier. Grouse has more space to handle crowds and gets fewer Pre-/Post-Cruise folks so it should feel very spacious in comparison. Cap in the afternoon you don't need to worry about same-day cruise departure folks, just others who are in town all day.

If you do want to flip them - e.g. there's fog in the morning (views are a big part of a Grouse visit) - you can't flag down the Grouse shuttle at Cap, but it is on the same road so regular transit buses go past frequently and cost just $2.75pp cash. Or call a cab - probably $10 for a carload.

Some additional thoughts...

• again check the Grouse show schedule to plan your arrival. Sometimes the shuttles are busy with cruisers, so it can take a few shuttles before you can get to the attractions. If you have a full day, I recommend catching the 11am shuttle to give you lots of time for the Grouse shows and do the Capilano combo.
  
• Capilano is offering a 20% discount for those entering the park after 5pm to spread the crowds. I think they are doing it again for 2017. In 2017, there are shuttles back to the city as late as 8:15pm
  
• depending when you are visiting.... there's daylight way past the 8pm Capilano closing. In mid-June, there's daylight until 9:30pm!
  
• I haven't mentioned it yet, but Grouse offers a new VIP deck experience on the gondola ride up. It cost's more, but you have lots of elbow room when "Surfing the Skyride" or "Riding the Roof". http://globalnews.ca/news/2825199/get-a-birds-eye-view-by-surfing-the-roof-on-grouse-mountains-skyride/
  

Thanks for the great information!